Concrete steps



MarcHZO, 1962 ,LEM.EUX V 3,025,639

CONCRETE STEPS Filed May 20, 1959 United States Patent ()flflce3,025,639 Patented Mar. 20, 1962 3,025,639 CONCRETE STEPS Wilfrid J.Lemieux, 222 th Ave. SE, Dauphin,

Manitoba, Canada Filed May 20, 1959, Ser. No. 814,423

' 2 Claims. (Q1. 50-108) The invention relates to stairs wherein thecomponent parts are formed from concrete or other self setting, reliablematerial suitable for the purpose and wherein the several parts aredesigned for interfitting association so that they can be stored orshipped in knockdown condition and quickly and accurately assembled byunskilled persons.

A further object is to so design the several parts so that theyinterlock, one with the other, when being assembled and also such thatthey can be lifted and assembled in position by workmen with littleeflort.

A further object is to design the several parts so that they interlockwith one another when being assembled and subsequently can be tied intoa very rigid structure by employing tie-rods supplied for the purpose.

A further object is to design the structure so that the flight of stepscan be increased or diminished depending on the distance to be traversedby the stairs and such without altering the structure of the componentparts to be assembled for any particular job and further to supplyspacing means between the stringers together with tie-rods for clampingpurposes.

Further objects are to supply the stair risers with horizontal ledges attheir under sides to support the flanged rear edges of the adjacentsteps, to provide slots in the stringers to receive the lower corners ofthe risers, to provide the steps with front and rear flanges, the formerof which overlie the upper edges of the risers and the latter of whichenter the slots in advance of the risers, to so design the ledges thattheir ends in the assembled stairs will abut the inner faces of thestringers and to supply one or more spacing beams mortised into thestringers together with tie-rods interconnecting the stringers andsupplied with adjusting nuts.

The nature and advantages of the invention will be better understoodwhen the following, detailed descriptron is read in connection with theaccompanying drawmg, the invention residing in the construction,combination and arrangement of parts as claimed.

Referring now to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stairway constructed in accordancewith my invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view centrally through the stairway fromfront to rear.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one of the stringers and showing alsoand in perspective view, a portion of a beam and of a tie-rod.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of one of therisers.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the stairwayand showing associated parts in assembled positions.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of one end of abeam and showing particularly the end tenon.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of the other endof one of the risers.

In the drawing like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsin the several figures.

The stair comprises, in the main, stringers, risers, steps and spacingbeams which are made from pre-cast or moulded slabs of self settingcompound such as concrete or other durable and acceptable material andall of which are designed to interfit when assembled to form the stairs.

The stringers 1 are identical in form and if attention be directed toFIG. 3 particularly, it will be seen that each stringers is stepped, asis usual, to provide upstanding riser engaging shoulders 2 andalternating, horizontal, step supports 3 and that such shoulders andsupports are separated by notches or seats 4 utilized for a purposelater apparent. Each stringer is also supplied with one or more mortises5 such being positioned rearwardly of the stringer.

If the stairs terminate at the upper end with a step, it is consideredthat a single mortise in each striniger is all that is required, whereasif it terminates in a platform or landing 6 as herein shown, two or moremortises can be supplied depending on the depth of the platform fromfront to rear. There is also a horizontal hole 7 supplied in eachstringer adjacent the mortise or mortises.

In practice, the stringers are preferably set up on footings supplied,as in common practice, and are spaced apart consistent with the lengthof the steps and risers supplied for any particular job in hand and thespacing is dependent on one or more beams 8 supplied for use in thatparticular job. Each beam terminates in vertically disposed endssupplied with a horizontal tenon 9, the tenons being adapted to enterthe mortises in the stringers. When the stringers and beam or beams havebeen set up they are tentatively held in place by elongated tie-rods 10passed through the holes 7 and supplied with nuts 10' which can betightened up as required.

Each riser 11 is of the desired riser height and stair width and has itslower edge formed with a forwardly extending, continuous, reinforcingand spacing ledge 11, the ends of which stop short of the ends of theriser to provide end shoulders 11 as best shown .in FIGS. 4 and 7 of thedrawing. In practice, the risers are put in place in an upright positionwith their lower corners seated in the rear of the notches 4 and at suchtime the shoulders U of the ledges occupy a position butting against theinner faces of the stringers. The so positioned ledges not only preventend shifting of the risers but also reinforce the risers.

Each step 12 is of the required step length and width and has its frontand rear edges supplied with marginal, down turned flanges 12' and 12and when the steps are put in place their rear flanges are received inthe notches 4 and rest on the ledges 11 and their front flanges overlieand retain the upper edges of the risers.

In the drawing, it will be obvious that the landing or platform 6 issimply a wide step, from front to rear, and has its front flange 6'overlying and retaining the uppermost riser and its rear flange 6received in suitable notches supplied in the rear upper corners of thestringers and indicated at 1 I might mention that when the platform isof considerable depth from front to rear and as herein shown, it isdesirable to use two or more beams 8 as they will serve not only tospace the stringers, but also to reinforce the central part of theplatform as their upper edges butt the underside of the platform. On theother hand if the platform is virtually a step width, it is consideredthat one spacing beam will sufiice.

When all the parts, hereinbefore described, have been assembled ininterfitting and interlocking positions, it will be quite obvious thatwhen the nuts of the bolts have been tightened up, the structure willbecome a very rigid structure with all parts amply reinforced towithstand the rigorous stresses to which stairs are subjected.

The slabs forming the several component parts of the stairs aredesirably made as light as safely possible so that they can be liftedand put into place by two workmen and with such in view the slabs aremade relatively thin and are well reinforced by metallic rods 13imbedded in the self setting material from which the slabs are made.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a concrete step assembly an opposing pair of upstanding stringers,said stringers presenting a series of upstanding, opposing riserengaging shoulders alternated with horizontally disposed step supports,there being open topped transverse slots provided in the stringers atthe junction of said supports and shoulders, upstanding transverserisers having vertical portions engaging the shoulders and having theirlower corners seated rearwardly in the slots, the lower edge of eachvertical riser portion being provided with a forwardly extendingreinforcing ledge with the ends spaced inwardly from the ends of therisers and the upper surface thereof being in the plane of the lowercorners of the riser with the ends of said ledge abutting the innerfaces of the stringers, horizontally disposed, transverse steps restingon the stringer supports and having rear down-turned flanges resting onthe ledges and received in the slots in advance of the risers andprovided forwardly with down turned, riser engaging and retainingflanges and adjustable tension bolts extending between the stringers.

2. In a concrete step assembly, an opposing pair of upstandingstringers, said stringers presenting a series of upstanding riserengaging shoulders alternated with horizontally disposed step supports,there being open topped transverse slots provided in the stringers atthe junction of said supports and shoulders and said stringers havingtheir upper ends terminating in opposing flat-lying platform supportingsupports of a width considerably greater than the width of the stepsupports and having their upper, rear corners notched, upstandingtransverse risers having vertical portions engaging the shoulders andhaving their lower corners seated rearwardly in the slots, the loweredge of each vertical riser portion being provided with a forwardlyextending reinforcing ledge with the ends spaced inwardly from the endsof the riser and the upper surface thereof being in the plane of thelower corners of the riser with the ends of said ledge abutting theinner faces of the stringers, horizontally disposed, transverse stepsresting on the stringer supports and having rear down-turned flangesresting on the ledges and received in the slots in advance of the risersand front down turned flanges retaining the risers against theupstanding shoulders of the stringers, a landing platform seated on theflat supports provided at the upper ends of the stringers and having adown turned front flange overlying the upper edge of the uppermost riserand a rear down turned flange entered in the stringer notches,upstanding, reinforcing beams underlying and engaging the under side ofthe platform and having their ends abutting the inner faces of thestringers and provided with tenons received in mortises provided in thestringers and adjustable tensioning bolts extending between thestringers and adjacent to the beams.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,475,777 Ballenger Nov. 27, 1923 1,879,996 Sherwood Sept. 27, 19322,218,523 Byington Oct. 22, 1940 2,885,883 Torricelli May 12, 19592,939,309 Sitton June 7, 1960

